Page "Sumner Welles" Paragraph 40

In August 1943, reports that Welles had resigned as Under-Secretary of State circulated for more than a week.

The press reported it as fact on August 24 despite the lack of an official announcement.

Writing in the New York Times, Arthur Krock said that opinion in Washington saw Welles ' departure as an attempt to end factionalism in the State Department: " The long-existing struggle disorganized the department, bred Hull and Welles factions among its officials, confused those having business with the department and finally produced pressure on the President to eliminate the causes ".

Despite the " personal fondness " of the President and his wife for Welles, he continued, the President sided with Hull because supporting a subordinate would promote revolts in other government agencies, Hull was politically connected and popular with Congress, and the Senate, he was told, would not support Welles for Secretary of State or any other office.

Krock added a cryptic explanation: " Other incidents arising made the disagreements between the two men even more personal.

It was those which aroused the Senate to opposition to Mr. Welles that was reported to the President ".